Toy locomotive, train and track



Kw W W36.

H. E. THOMPSON J EEJQS TOY LOCOMOTIVE, TRAIN, AND TRACK Filed Sept. 16,- 1955 2 sheets-#311881; l

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill-5 flT'TORNE Y.

IIYVENTO/E. RD E. TIME-1950M.

\ m$ w d- HOWA Feb. 18, 1936. H. E. THOMPSQN TOY LOCOMOTIVE, TRAIN; AND TRACK Filed Sept. 16, 1955 Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

My invention relates toimprovements in toy locomotives, trains and tracks, wherein the locomotive and each separate unit of train is provided, in place of wheels, with a separate shoe arranged for slidable engagement between the rails of the track, each shoe being beveled at both ends on the bottom and side surfaces thereof to facilitate passage of said shoe in the space between the rails of said track, said shoe being further provided with intermediate arcuate re-- cesses on the sides thereof to readily permit the passage of said shoe throughcurved portions of said track, said shoe being further provided with a centrally disposed longitudinal groove to engage similarly positioned central rails radiating from open crossings in said track, to guide said shoe and train through said crossing.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved toy train and track of extremely cheap construction and utmost durability.

Another object is to provide an improved toy train wherein shoes, instead of wheels, are provided which will readily slide in the groove provided by parallel rails and negotiate open crossings and curved portions of a toy track.

A further object is to provide a new and improved toy train of the character set forth, which may be readily pushed around a track and which will readily negotiate, when so pushed, the curved portions and open crossings of said track in natural and fascinating manner.

A still further object is to provide a new and improved toy train which may be pushed over a cheaply and easily constructed groove instead of an expensive toy track.

A still further object is to provide a new and improved shoe for toy trains, to take the place of wheels, and which shoe will readily negotiate short curves and maintain the train upon the track.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present application and in which;

Fig. 1 is a broken elevation disclosing my improved toy locomotive, tender, and a portion of a train, mounted upon a portion of track;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1, in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the track with the toy locomotive mounted thereon; and

Fig. 5 is a broken longitudinal sectional view ed thereon.

Referring to the drawings:

The numeral I is used to designate the rails of a track having what I term an open crossing 2. That is to say, the rails I are interrupted and do not cross the crossing. Longitudinally disposed central rails 3 radiate in each section of track, from the open crossing 2, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

The locomotive, tender and units of the train each comprise what I term a body 6 composed of a flat wooden board having rounded ends as at I, and suitable apertures 8 adjacent each end for pivotally engaging the legs of U-bolts 9, as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, by means of which U-bolts 9 the several units of the train may be pivotally and detachably connected to the locomotive in order to permit said train to negotiate curves.

7 A separate shoe I I, cut from a flat wooden board or other cheap and easily workable material, is mounted upon the bottom of the body 6 of the locomotive I2, tender I3 and each separate unit I4 of the train. Each shoe II is beveled upon the under surface of each end as at I6 and further beveled on both ends of the side surfaces as at I1, and said side surfaces are further provided with arcuate recesses I8 arranged intermediate the ends of said shoe II, as disclosed in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Each shoe I I is further provided with a longitudinally disposed central groove I9 extending throughout the length thereof.

In operation: 7

.The several units I2, I3, and I4 are pivotally connected by means of the U-bolts 9 and the train is placed upon the track with the shoes I I resting within the space between the rails I, as disclosed in Fig. 4 of the drawings, or within any other groove suitable for guiding the train or operating as a track.

The train may be drawn or pushed, the latter producing the most fascinating results, and when pushed or otherwise moved over the track the shoe I I of the locomotive I2 will readily guide the said locomotive around curves and through open crossings in a natural and attractive manner.

When encountering curves, as indicated by the heavy dashlines A, in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the belly or bend of the inner curved rail will enter the arcuate recess I8, on that side of the shoe I I and thereby readily permit the passage of said shoe through said curved portion of the track. It should be noted that such passage through a curved portion is also facilitated by the beveled ends I! of the shoes II. These beveled ends I1 also assist in entering the shoes ll into the opposite sides of open crossings 2.

When approaching an open crossing 2, the 1ongitudinally disposed groove I9 of the shoe ll first engages the outer end of its respective radiating central rail 3 of the track, which engagement of groove l9 and central rail 3 guides the front end of the shoe ll into the space between the rails l and on the opposite or approached side of the open crossing 2, as disclosed in Fig. 4 of the drawings, assuming the train to be moving toward the left. As the front end of the shoe H, in this case, approaches the opposite side of the open crossing 2, the rear end of the shoe, by means of the groove I9, is still engaging'the central rail 3 when the front end of said shoe has entered the space before the rails I on the opposite side of said open crossing 2. The front end of the shoe H will thus enter the opposite space before the groove of said shoe l l disengages the central rail 3.

In this mannerthe train may be pushed around the track or within any groove, the assembled train-readily following the groove or track and negotiating curved portions and open crossing.

Having thus described my invention I claim: 1. The combination with a toy locomotive and track therefor, of a sliding shoe mounted upon the bottom thereof and of lesser width-than the distance between the inner edges of said' track whereby said locomotive maybe retained between the rails of said track when moved thereover.

2. The combination with a toy locomotive and track therefor, of a sliding shoe mounted upon the bottom thereof and slidable between the rails of said track to maintain said locomotive on said track when moved thereover. said shoe being beveled at both ends of the bottom to facilitate movement of said locomotive.

3. The combination with a toy locomotive and track therefor; of a shoe mounted upon the bottom of said locomotive, and slidable between the rails tom of said locomotive and slidable between the rails of said track to retain said locomotive thereon, said shoe being provided with intermediate l the passage of said shoe around a curve in said track.

5. The combination with a toy locomotive and track having open crossings with longitudinally disposed central rails radiating from said open crossings, of a shoe mounted upon the bottom of said locomotive and slidable between the rails of said track to retain said locomotive thereon, said shoe being provided with a centrally disposed grooveto engage said central rail and guide said 'shoe through said open crossing.

6. The combination with a toy locomotive of a shoe mounted upon the bottom thereof and slidably engaging a groove being used as a track for saidlocom'otive, said shoe being beveled upon the bottom and side surfaces at both ends thereof to facilitate movement of said shoe within the said groove.

'7; The combination with a toy locomotive of a shoe mounted upon the bottom thereof and slid- *ably engaging a groove being used as a track, said shoebeing provided with arcuate recesses upon the side edges and'intermediate the ends thereof to permit passage of saidshoe around a "curve in said groove.

8-. Thecombination with a toy'locomotive and train of a separate shoe mounted upon the bottom of" said locomotive and each separate unit of said train for slidably engaging the space between the rails of a track'for saidlocomotive and I 'traing'each' shoe being beveled on thesides and at bothends thereof to-facilitate movement of saidshoe through said space; and U-bolts pivotallyconnecting said locomotive and units whereby the same maybe moved through acurved portion of said space.

9. The combination with a toy locomotive and track therefor having curved portions and open crossings with longitudinally disposed central rails radiating from saidopen crossings,*'of a shoe mounted upon the bottom of said locomotive and slidably mounted between the rails of'said track; said'shoe'being'beveled on the bottom and side surfaces and at both ends thereof to'facilitate passage of'said shoe'between said rails. and further providedwith'a longitudinally disposed central' groove for engaging said'central rails to guide """saidshoe' through'said open crossings said'shoe "being further provided Witharcuate recesses in the'sides'and intermediate the ends thereof to permit the'pas'sage of said shoe through'curved portions of said track I HOWARD E. THOMPSON. 

